When sailfish are off Stuart
Sailfish fishing out of Stuart runs year-round, and the best of it falls from mid-November through late February. Stuart captains fish for them in every season. Inlet, ramp and conditions detail sit on the Stuart port page. This guide covers where the fish-holding band sits, which structure lies in it, and which method locals use on each side of the Jupiter line. It will help you decide where to look, but it can’t promise fish.
Peak season
Mid-November through late February is the best window, so plan private trips around it. The migration itself is covered in our sailfish species guide.
Summer bursts
Some summer bursts are reported. Summer fish come mostly on live bait, and the methods section below covers how that is fished.
| Window | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Mid-November through late February | Best fishing |
| Rest of the year | Fish present, per Stuart captains |
| Summer | Some bursts reported, mostly on live bait |
Where boats run from St. Lucie Inlet
Boats look in about 80 to 250 ft, a band that can run 2 to 5 miles wide. That width comes from a captain’s description of a moving fishery, so it is not a fixed line on a chart.
The depth band
Treat the band as a search area rather than a waypoint. The fish sit somewhere inside it on a given day, and the named structure below gives you places to start.
- Inside edge: about 80 ft
- Outside edge: about 250 ft
- Width: 2 to 5 miles, per the captain
South of the inlet
Captain VJ Bell points to water 6 or 7 miles south of the inlet. The grounds in the next section hang on this same band.
Grounds and structure that hold fish
These are the named reefs, hills and wrecks off Stuart, ordered roughly from inside to outside. Chart layers are not for navigation.
| Name | Depth (ft) | Location note |
|---|---|---|
| Sandpile reef | Nearshore reef | |
| Six Mile reef | 80 | Named for six miles |
| Eight Mile reef | 80 | Named for eight miles |
| Loran Tower (Hobe Sound) | 80 | Off the Loran tower in Hobe Sound |
| Pushbutton Hill (the Hill) | Offshore of St. Lucie Inlet | |
| The Rankin (USS Rankin wreck) | ||
| Boo McCulley Reef (Borocho) | 180 | 9 miles offshore of St. Lucie Inlet |
| Brause Girls Reef (Penobscot tug) | 200 | 9 to 10 miles offshore, reached from Stuart |
The 80 ft reefs
Six Mile, Eight Mile and Loran Tower all sit at 80 ft, the inside edge of the band. The first two are named for their distance from the beach.
The deeper artificial reefs
Boo McCulley (180 ft, 9 miles) and Brause Girls (200 ft, 9 to 10 miles) sit inside the band toward its outer depths.
How sailfish are fished out of Stuart
The method depends on which side of a dividing line off Jupiter you fish. The split is a regional pattern, and the wider coast is covered in the Atlantic Southeast sailfish guide (see also the Atlantic Southeast region guide). Stuart sits north of Jupiter, and the method follows the water you pick.
North of the Jupiter line
Boats troll dredges and dead ballyhoo. The dredge is a hookless teaser run under the surface to raise fish into the spread.
South of the Jupiter line
Boats fish live baits on kites or bump-troll them.
- Kites: the kite holds the bait at the surface, away from the boat.
- Bump-trolling: you bump in and out of gear to keep live baits moving slowly.
Summer live bait
Summer fish are mostly caught on live bait, which is the local pattern.
| Method | Where it fits |
|---|---|
| Dredges and dead ballyhoo | North of the Jupiter line |
| Live baits on kites | South of the Jupiter line |
| Bump-trolled live baits | South of the Jupiter line |
| Live bait | Summer fish, mostly |
Who fishes for them out of Stuart
These local charters list sailfish:
- Hate 2 Lose Fishing Charters
- DNT Charters, with a 57-foot sportfishing yacht
- Stuart Big Game Fishing, with the 61-foot custom sportfisher Unbelievable
- Captain VJ Bell
- Warbird Fishing Charters, with Captain Jesse Capwell
- Catch Of The Day Charters, with an Ocean Yachts 37-foot Billfish
If you are weighing other billfish water, see our billfish guides.
FAQ: sailfish out of Stuart
When is the best time for sailfish fishing out of Stuart?
Stuart captains say sailfish are around year-round. The best fishing runs from mid-November through late February. Some summer bursts are reported, and those fish are mostly caught on live bait.
How far do boats run from St. Lucie Inlet for sailfish?
Boats look in a band of about 80 to 250 ft, which the captain says can run 2 to 5 miles wide. Captain VJ Bell also points to water 6 or 7 miles south of the inlet.
What depth do sailfish hold in off Stuart?
Boats fish about 80 to 250 ft. The 80 ft reefs sit at the inside of that range. Boo McCulley (180 ft) and Brause Girls (200 ft) sit toward the outside.
What is the Jupiter dividing line?
It is the line off Jupiter where local methods change. North of it, boats troll dredges and dead ballyhoo. South of it, they fish live baits on kites or bump-troll them.
How are summer sailfish caught off Stuart?
Summer fish are mostly caught on live bait. Some summer bursts are reported, though no fish are promised on any given day.
Which charters fish for sailfish out of Stuart?
Hate 2 Lose Fishing Charters, DNT Charters, Stuart Big Game Fishing, Captain VJ Bell, Warbird Fishing Charters and Catch Of The Day Charters all list sailfish out of Stuart.
